Neal Stephenson

One man has a 'big idea' for reversing global warming, a master plan perhaps best described as 'elemental'. But will it work? And just as important, what are the consequences for the planet and all of humanity should it be applied? As only Stephenson can, 'Termination Shock' sounds a clarion alarm, ponders potential solutions and dire risks, and wraps it all together in an exhilarating, witty, mind-expanding speculative adventure.

Richard Forthrast, a marijuana smuggler, has parlayed his wealth into an empire by developing T'Rain, a billion-dollar online role-playing game. But T'Rain's success has also made it a target. Hackers have struck gold, unleashing REAMDE, a virus that encrypts a player's electronic files and holds them for ransom.

A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space. But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain. Five thousand years later,...